Nr 59 May - June 2018
The World Congress of Associations was held in Antwerp Anja Stas, Chief Commercial Officer of the FMCCA, stressed that although we are in the
middle of a digital age, individuals continue to travel thousands of kilometres to meet and to “be transformed” by connecting with one another.
She insisted on the concept of “A Room with a Zoo”, emphasising that it is the only site in the world with a zoo.
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We will translate for you what interpretation is! Our mother tongue lets us understand one another and communicate very spontaneously, wit-
hout seeming to make any effort. You could compare our language ability with the ability to walk – it is taken for granted and flows naturally.
The same applies when we participate in mee-
tings – we listen, we learn, we take part. Except…
when the participants speak different
languages. Of course, we may have learned ano-
ther foreign language, but as soon as we use it,
Arranging huddle rooms effectively
Defending yourself well in meetings
our spontaneity more or less suffers.
Huddle rooms stimulate the processes of collaborative work in
Unanimity is as rare in business as anywhere else.
barrier” quite clearly. To avoid it and to attend
Recall that huddle rooms are small rooms (maximum 6 people)
another of your colleagues do not agree with your ideas
companies, under certain conditions however.
which are “sprinkled” throughout a company and which can be occupied spontaneously for informal meetings.
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Inevitably, situations of conflict arise where one or or approach.
In truth, we often feel the well-known “language
worthwhile and effective conferences and meetings simultaneous interpretation is used.
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The Remote Delegate Challenge: delivering a high value, engaging experience online Thanks to the now easy availability of live streaming
technology, organisations are faced with an incredible opportunity; the chance to totally reassess how they
approach their events and open them up to an online audience.
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Sustainably renovating hotel WiFi networks
Digital signage, a great asset for business, conventions and trade shows! Page 6
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Content is king… but what content? Page 16
Arranging huddle rooms effectively Huddle rooms stimulate the processes of collaborative work in companies, under certain conditions however.
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ecall that huddle rooms are small rooms (maximum 6 people) which are “sprinkled” throughout a company and which can be occupied spontaneously for informal meetings.
Basic equipment In order to really take advantage of it, there are certain measures that need to be taken and the user’s experience also taken into account. A huddle room offers a new space for collaboration and also represents a new way of working. When a company envisages creating them (and the investment in audiovisual equipment for them), certain factors must be considered. Since these small rooms meet a need for informal collaboration, it is difficult to predict user demand. Generally, it is advisable to equip them with a basic audiovisual installation that allows documents to be projected on a screen, and possibly also to equip them with videoconferencing capabilities. This is obviously not a hard and fast rule. Some
very small huddle rooms will include a table, a few chairs, a good wireless internet connection, a small monitor and a simple hands-free phone allowing audio conferencing. There is a preference for communication between the participants present. In cases where videoconferencing equipment is included, an inexpensive system will be chosen, with a wide-angle camera that allows all participants to be covered.
And developments in equipment! The idea is ultimately simple – unlike the companies’ large conference room (a single unit!), we are here faced with a sometimes large number of huddle rooms distributed throughout the company, which need to be equipped while trying to keep the total bill down (for all of these huddle rooms). Practically speaking, it is quite possible to have simple but adequate installations that work quite well. This is especially so since everything is not
cast in stone, in that users always go back to their experience as to who is entitled… who can then mitigate any insufficiencies noted – the huddle rooms must also be able to develop according to the needs. For example, a huddle room can be “overequipped” relative to its usual and actual use, while the opposite is true for another one located, say, on another floor. It is then very easy to carry the equipment from one to another to better match the actual use.
The Right Technology in the Right Place We all know that technology is constantly evolving. Conference rooms now host
M tools.
communications tools. But are these the most effective? any companies have started renovating their meeting rooms, taking into consideration the latest collaboration
Digital whiteboards at the party! It must be said that many meeting rooms do not even have fast internet and, for example, there are not enough power outlets and the ones that are there are poorly positioned and impractical to use. A recent survey from Nemertes Research focused on 650 companies around the world. This study shows that companies give priority to fast network connections, high quality audio and, precisely, a multiplicity of conveniently placed power outlets (including those made available to participants)! At the same time, digital whiteboards are often included in conference room upgrade plans, with only 4.9% of those surveyed having rejected this option after considering it. The general rule is that companies want all participants to be able to consider a meeting as a positive experience that improves productivity. The survey also highlighted that problems, even small ones, may lead staff to not use the meeting rooms. This is the case when power
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outlets (them again) are hard to find or projection systems take ten minutes to be ready.
The future will relate to artificial intelligence Concerning today’s most advanced technologies, high resolution videoconferencing is highly appreciated, as well as integration with collaboration tools. Remember that digital whiteboards are now considered “vital” for company meetings. Surprisingly, according to Frost & Sullivan,
only 4.2% of meeting rooms (worldwide) are equipped with video, but the situation is changing very rapidly. The cost of equipment is going down and the cloud favors instant meetings, so much so that the number of rooms equipped with advanced meeting tools (web and video conferences, interactive whiteboards and collaboration tools) is constantly increasing. There are many companies (about 18%) that still do not have the criteria letting them determine if their rooms adequately meet current collaboration needs. Companies need high performing management tools grouping all the technologies embedded in the meeting room. There are firms that specialize in this area. In the future, automated “predictive analysis” will be used. Artificial intelligence will allow the content of a meeting to be analyzed and provide recommendations for follow-up, for example.
Defending yourself well in meetings Unanimity is as rare in business as anywhere else. Inevitably, situations of conflict arise where one or another of your colleagues do not agree with your ideas or approach.
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ometimes it’s not worth making an issue, but there are times when the situation is critical (for example, in a meeting room when key points are being discussed) and it’s important to respond successfully.
Interrupting the brain’s natural process During a public confrontation, it becomes essential to interrupt the brain’s natural process. To explain, humans quickly recognize dangerous situations and their brains react “within seconds” by releasing chemicals such as adrenalin, for example. We are then ready for fight or flight. This innate tendency must be counteracted to “collect yourself”. Easy to say? The idea is to first accept the effects felt (translation for the brain: “Ohhh”), then, in order to take a good step backwards, to ask for clarification (“Here’s what I understand, is that correct?”) which will gain some time for reflection. This delay is usually enough to retake control of the brain’s logical center, and to stop the influx of disruptive neurotransmitters. In doing this, it can sometimes be very helpful to look away from the “source” of the aggression and focus on the rational “reset” (restart). It’s then a question of using the judo technique of using the attacker’s energy to your own advan-
tage. Here’s a little example…
Immediate moment of panic Paul has just ended his presentation before senior management (a business investment initiative for the division he manages). Everything seems OK, as testified by the participants’ body language (heads nodding, quiet and relaxed atmosphere). Suddenly, Jacques intervenes. Until now he was closed and defensive. To get the context, he was Paul’s rival for the position of manager and… was not selected). And Jacques has “a question”. “What are you basing yourself on to hope that the results of this new initiative will be any better than the disaster that ended the program you managed last year?” There’s a moment of immediate panic for Paul who works on his “reset”, his rational restart. Instead of bristling and responding aggressively to the aggression, he focuses on his posture, which he deliberately relaxes – facial muscles relaxed, he looks at the ceiling then at the audience (and not at Jacques). He thanks Jacques for having asked this question and tells him essentially, “As everyone remembers, at the time we did indeed get it wrong, but the changes
we made – with the help of your team, Jacques, among others – has made the team more experienced, more effective and able to succeed with this new initiative.” The CEO agrees, “We have learned from this failure and it will be a great help to us. Green light!”
thinking logically. Instead of rejecting the problem, Paul honestly acknowledged it and highlighted the lessons learned. Finally, he welcomed the assistance of Jacques’ team during the problematic project he referred to. The game is over. Paul has won.
Lessons learned… Paul neutralized the verbal attack by Jacques by using his energy against him. “Thank you, Jacques…” This simple but powerful maneuver also let all the occupants in the room relax a bit and allowed the emotional support of participants to be obtained. The group reflected his own state of comfortable relaxation and retained its abilities of
Keizershoevestraat, 26 2610 Wilrijk - Belgium Tel: +32 478 948951 Fax: +32 3 2397516 Email: jp.thys@cbsmedia.biz Website: www.cbsmedia.biz Publication Manager Jean-Pierre Thys Editor Jean-Claude Lesuisse Translation Babel Ophoff Vertalingen Printing Lowyck Publisher Jean-Pierre Thys Keizershoevestraat, 26 2610 Wilrijk - Belgium Communications Business Solutions is published 5 times a year. Online registration forms on our website will be considered for a regular free copy. Subscription Print: 55 € (Belgium) – 60 € (Europe), 85 € (other continents). All reproduction rights reserved for all countries. Reproductionof the texts (even partial) is prohibited without permission of the publisher. Member ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) Communications Business Solutions is available in print in french and dutch and online in english, french and dutch.
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When streaming lets videoconferencing go further! In recent years, videoconferencing has greatly helped business leaders become aware of the power
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associated with “rich media” communications.
he ability to associate high quality video on screen with presentation data has really redefined the way management arranges meetings and collaborate in real time with people at a distance.
The more video is used, the more you want it Today, enthusiasts of these techniques are looking for ways to harness the technology to reduce travel costs, increase productivity and improve return on investment. According to a survey conducted by Wainhouse Research (end of 2017), 44% of personal videoconferencing users report that they used videoconferencing more widely than in the previous year. But it should be noted that this is the case for 86% of those who already use personal videoconferencing DAILY. The result is that successful use of video in a company leads to even more use of video. A somewhat similar picture appears when the following sentence is submitted to the panel for evaluation: “My company should take more advantage of current technologies to improve communications.” 86% of respondents working in organizations that have already deployed videoconferencing solutions in at least five rooms agree with this statement. In conclusion, the more accessible video technology is, the more demand there is for implementing additional video capabilities.
The “reporting” difficulty. In this vein, and especially to prolong them, it is very interesting to realize that videoconferencing and streaming… go well together! While videoconferencing allows for enriched engagement between relatively small groups, streaming platforms support large-scale dissemination of video content. So the idea… It is, succinctly, to create discussions by videoconferencing, record them (for example) and send them by streaming, to let a large number of people watch them. In this way, discussions between managers on marketing problems, involvement of specialists who bring new blood to a technique, complementary viewpoints between remote teams, etc., can be of benefit to employees interested in the subject. This way of doing things would alle-
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viate the difficulty faced by managers who, after a successful videoconference, have to report it, “interpret it” to their colleagues. It is a very difficult task, often poorly mastered and which generates large expenditures in time and energy, with no certainty of carrying it out well.
Create your own “broadcast studio”! This would result in storing, over time, a large number of videoconferences which would constitute a kind of permanent “video library”, accessible to those selected by the company and
which could be very numerous (since streaming would be used for broadcasting). The process would only be limited by the imagination – broadcasting could be decided, LIVE this time, for all staff (or a specific target audience), with a videoconference bringing together ultra-competent people examining a key problem. Videoconferencing developed in this way would resemble a sort of “broadcast studio” like those found in television stations.
We will translate for you what interpretation is! Our mother tongue lets us understand one another and communicate very spontaneously, without seeming to make any effort. You could compare our language ability with the ability to walk – it is taken for granted
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and flows naturally.
he same applies when we participate in meetings – we listen, we learn, we take part. Except… when the participants speak different languages. Of course, we may have learned another foreign language, but as soon as we use it, our spontaneity more or less suffers.
A translator must “write well” In truth, we often feel the well-known “language barrier” quite clearly. To avoid it and to attend worthwhile and effective conferences and meetings simultaneous interpretation is used. This is a discipline closely related to translation, but rarely exercised by the same persons, since there are significant differences. It might be thought that an interpreter translates orally and a translator translates in writing. However, there are more significant differences between the two functions than there are similarities. In fact, a translator must have the ability to understand the source language as well as the culture of the country where the text originates, then use a library of dictionaries and reference documents to render the original material clearly and accurately in the target language. It is necessary to “write well” in the target language so that the reader does not feel that it’s just a simple “translation” (in the poor sense of the term). Even truly bilingual people can express themselves equally well in both languages, and that’s why good translators only ever translate into their mother tongue.
by the speaker five to ten seconds earlier. They must also have excellent public speaking skills as well as the intellectual capacity to be able to instantaneously transform idiomatic expressions, colloquial expressions or specific cultural references into similar statements in the target language. Finally, there is the art of paraphrasing. The interpreter listens to a speaker in one language, grasps the content of what is said and paraphrases the content using the target language’s tools. But just as you cannot explain something
An interpreter “paraphrases” However, an interpreter must be able to translate in both directions without using dictionaries or supplementary reference documents. He must have an uncommon listening capacity, especially when it comes to simultaneous interpretation. Simultaneous interpreters must memorize and process the words spoken by the speaker at the same moment, while simultaneously producing, in the target language, the translation of the words spoken
knowledge of the subject is as important as their experience in interpretation.
Regardless of the equipment, it’s only the result that counts The equipment required obviously depends on the circumstances. But whatever they are, there are broad rules that must be observed. Interpreters generally work in pairs, in soundproof glazed cabins. They must have the benefit of pure and clear sound, with excellent HiFi quality. They must have their hands free (so wearing a headset is essential) to allow them to review any notes. In fact, once again, regardless of the technique – whether wired or WiFi, for example – it’s the result, and therefore the sound quality, that counts. It is essential that interpreters can see the speakers, their postures and if possible their lip movements. As far as possible (but it’s rare) eye contact with the speaker is welcome to be able to signal with a gesture a possible problem (speaking too fast or other).
to someone without first understanding it yourself, it is impossible to translate or interpret something without first mastering the subject. This is why, when choosing an interpreter,
The conference organizer will be well advised to brief interpreters beforehand about the content of discussions and possibly provide them with a lexicon on the usual jargon of the field or any technical terms. Interpreters will also need a program of operations that is as accurate as possible. Once again, the success of an event depends greatly on how well it is prepared!
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Sustainably renovating hotel WiFi networks In the last ten years, hotels have seen their customers switch from using heavy and sturdy laptop computers to ultralight tablets and notebooks with speeds of
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up to a gigabyte per second.
he WiFi workload has also changed dramatically. In the past, WiFi access points were installed in the room corridors, each covering six to eight rooms. The working assumption was minimal, based on one WiFi device per customer.
on constraints. In this sketch of the future, hotels will have to treat their WiFi infrastructure in the same way as what they do with their electrical power supply, by installing a backup or emergency solution, which is obviously not the case at present.
Building a WiFi solution that will withstand the shock of the years
In the best case, there are alternative WAP dispatchers that a technician can replace if necessary, which causes service outages. However, the more the months go by the more the internet will become indispensable, even vital, for customers. The backup here is to install several overlapping units, to ensure service continuity.
Of course, today three WiFi devices are brought by each visitor on average (notebook + tablet + smartphone), who expects to be able to have WiFi coverage throughout the premises. Another size change has taken place, in that connection speeds used to be primarily downloads, and could even be called a one-way internet with an upload to download ratio of 1:10. With the advent of Web 2.0 and social media we are now close to a 1:1 ratio. The logical and unstoppable conclusion is that ten-year-old WiFi networks are no longer at all appropriate for current requirements. Upgrading them is becoming essential. With this in view, why not build a WiFi solution that is most likely to still be holding the road in ten years’ time, making the investment as sustainable as possible? It’s looking at a crystal ball, but we can still count on the outbreak of IoT (Internet of Things). This is a matter of putting every object on the network. The concept is quite vague, with the emphasis put on useless consumer gadgets, but it is well suited to the professional field. We will try to explain with some examples. At the end of 2017, Marriott, in partnership with Samsung and Legrand, launched IoT Guestroom Lab. This demonstration room includes intelligent lighting, temperature control (both for the bath and air conditioning), and a voice-actuated assistant. The customer can enter his preferences in the cloud and they will be associated with his account. Thus, when presenting himself in any of the chain’s establishments he will automatically get the benefit of his own preferences being applied. The
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voice assistant is also connected to the WiFi network. Another example is the “Starwood robot butler “ that was tested as early as 2014. This robot butler has the task of bringing conveniences. So it communicates with the elevator via WiFi.
We will also move towards truly efficient traffic management, towards implementation of an intelligent traffic manager. It is indeed essential for voice and visual communications (as well
It is essential to have duplicates as “backup solutions” Connected objects are meant to be used anywhere in the establishment. The well-known robot butler must be able to call for the elevator at any time and from anywhere, for example. Let’s extrapolate this to inside the hotel’s laundry. Washing machines with IoT functions would allow the use of lower electricity rates as well as prioritizing the washes depending
as requests to Siri and all the other voice assistants) over the internet be given absolute priority, since the slightest delay in received and sent “packets” leads to sound and visual distortion. It can easily be understood that these slight delays do not affect the experience of a website or a download, hence the necessary priority. It will also be necessary to strengthen network security and thus take into account the weakness of connected objects that are often “open” and thereby allow outsiders to obtain the network key. This is the type of investment that is the price to be paid to meet current and future customer expectations.
Close Communication with Customers Before They Arrive at the Hotel Today, hotels can use technology to communicate with customers even before they arrive.
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his improves their experience and often also increases revenue.
The profit-making “pluses” Paul Sauceda, Marketing Director of “Oxford Hotels & Resorts”, makes the point, “Communicating with customers before their stay gives them a better experience.” He uses two different platforms which connects to the hotel’s management system. The first sends emails to customers with offers to upgrade the room type and the other lets them actually choose the type of room, improve their equipment and download all
the useful information before they arrive. Customers can register with their smartphone, which they can then use as a room key. “The offer of complementary services increases revenues,” says Karol Acosta of Movich Hotels in Bogota. The technology draws attention to services which customers do not think of initially. Examples include spa services or a shuttle or other upgrades that encourage customers to pay for those supplements that may interest them.
Hunting for profiles! In fact, each customer enters his contact data which are recorded in the system. It will then send an email, before they arrive, which will give information on the weather and events taking place in the vicinity. It can also offer a reservation for the restaurant in the hotel. The process also allows visitors to be segmented and to target the information. Special
offers can be created that are of specific interest to one group or another. It is possible to search for the name of a customer on social media and find out what they are interested in, which allows developing their “profile”. Customers are then grouped by “interest profiles” and receive specific information. Like any technology, its usefulness depends closely on the human intelligence that makes use of it. The person in the hotel who is in charge of this type of research must be trained, intelligent and respectful of privacy. In total, the situation must correspond to a “win-win” type transaction – customers and hotels must come out winners!
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A menu of choice on Imex’s program Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX, taking place 15 – 17 May explains: To have access to such a huge range of high calibre speakers is indispensable and we’re confident they’ll inspire new ideas and fresh approaches. We’ve carefully curated our education programme to offer timely, creative insight that’s relevant to meetings industry veterans, those about to enter the industry, and everyone in between.” discussion explores the impact a meeting has on a destination.
An event design certificate EduMonday, taking place the day before IMEX in Frankfurt, on Monday 14 May, open to all will help attendees foster fresh ideas and new habits, with a firm focus on professional development.
Part of the Diversity strand, ‘You go girl. Engaging Meetings’, focuses on attracting more women in leadership and discusses guidelines to ensure women achieve their full potential in the workplace.
London Business School’s Executive Director of Thought Leadership Adam Kingl will lead PCMA Business School, offering a free MBA-quality professional development workshop on ‘Strategic Innovation: Disrupting the Events Industry with New Business Models’.
‘The progress is real: is gender parity truly on the horizon?’ by WINIT looks at how equality will develop in the next few years.
Meanwhile, the younger generation of meeting professionals can kick start their career at Rising Talent, a new programme designed for the under 35s by the under 35s. Exhibitor-focused sessions cover sales skills, strategies for follow ups and destination marketing techniques including the popular Global
Carina Bauer CEO of the IMEX Group of charge on the day. There’s also exclusive education and networking for corporate meeting planners at Exclusively Corporate and for association meeting planners at Association Day.
With IMEX research showing that a massive of hosted buyers and visitors who attend IMEX are interested in planning events more sustainably, a dedicated sustainability track includes sessions such as ‘The cool list for a green planet’ and ‘Easy ways to get started with sustainable events’ with a special focus on reducing costs while improving quality and sustainability, both delivered by EIC Sustainability.
Attract more women to leadership
Destinations Sustainability Index and Report. IMEX is also offering the Event Design Certificate, a full day workshop intro to the Event Canvas Model, a strategic event management model for customer-centric events. This allows 30 English and 30 German-speaking event professionals to take their career to the next level by taking the certification free
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In between the wide range of sessions delegates can enjoy live entertainment, take time to refocus in the white space area or rejuvenate in the Be Well Lounge. A wider programme of free education runs across the three days of the show with over 180 seminars, including workshops, campfires and bite-sized show-floor education. Attendees can choose from carefully selected tracks, including Business Skills, Creative Learning, Marketing and Social Media and Diversity, to create their own bespoke schedule, all designed to help them keep a finger on the pulse of the industry.Legacy, IMEX’s Talking Point for this year, is explored through sessions including ‘What societal impact your meeting can leave in a city’ by BestCities Global Alliance. This facilitated
EIC focuses on various elements of cyber security in their sessions including ‘Cyber safety for meetings and events: is your head in the clouds?’ All education at IMEX is free and open to all. Some specialist sessions at EduMonday require pre-registration.
The situation of the AAE as seen by Damian Hutt Damian Hutt is the Executive Director as well as the founder of the “Association of Association Executives” (formerly Associations Network), the largest organisation for information, education and networking for executives of associations in the United Kingdom and in Europe, with more than 19,000 members and subscribers around the world. A great success The AAE organises the series of association congresses, association CEO summits and association networking forums, and generates research reports, Associations TV and a wide variety of information for association leaders. Damian was of course present at the Associations World Congress 2018 in Antwerp, at the Flanders Meeting & Convention Center Antwerp “A Room with a Zoo” (see attached article). He stated, “We are very satisfied with the result of this year’s Congress. We had a large number of senior executives, which testifies to the commitment of associations to take information and develop their organisations by participating in our Congress.”
vide it, and they are willing to pay a reasonable fee for it. Membership provides them with valuable content and also lets us know what they need to work better and develop. In our asso-
about their members if they want to give them the value that they need and deserve. It boils down to good membership systems, registering what your members want and the type of
Damian believes that his primary role is to inform, educate and make a network available for all the associations in Europe. “We want to help association help their members, to improve their work and their life.”
Subscription is free and will stay that way “Five years ago we transformed our information service into a member organization. We now have 7000 members and around 8000 subscribers in Europe. What we do in the rest of the world comes in addition. Subscription is free and will stay that way. The difference between members and subscribers is that the former contribute. They participate in panels of specialists, give their opinion, share their experience of change within their organisation… And, of course, they have access to a vast network of experts.” “We ask members to join us and we ask for information about their interests and what they would like us to provide them in terms of events, training, advice and information… We then really know what they want, and can pro-
Damian Hutt ciation, members only pay for what they want, not for what they don’t want.”
Seeking to ensure that member companies prosper “Today, the ultimate goal of the association has gone from education and protection of the profession to assurance that members’ businesses thrive. Associations have realised that they have to engage more with the public, especially since they benefit from a special charitable status. Nowadays associations communicate directly with the public, through informative sites, campaigns, discussion groups and more.” “In addition, association realise that they need to know everything
information they need. You have to find out what your members are seeking on websites, in emails, videos, webinars, ….”
Planning is better than curing! “Ultimately, planning is essential. Technology and artificial intelligence is going to transform jobs and tasks – formerly manual, they will be taken over by automated processes. So it is important to ask what the sector will look like in ten years. Taxi companies, for example, should have seen the Uber model coming along and adapted themselves preemptively. It is very important to be open about future possibilities.” It is very easy to find associations ready to share their experiences and successes. But failures also have very worthwhile lessons! It is therefore very interesting to talk about past setbacks, explain the pangs we have been through and tell how we have managed to improve the situation.
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The World Congress of Associations was held in Antwerp There were more than 240 associations among the 500 participants at the World Congress of Associations,
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which was held in Antwerp on March 12 to 14.
t offered many interesting sessions for companies, mainly focused on international and European associations, such as “best practices”, “benchmarking”, “governance”.
“Garden of Life”, a real oasis in the city and a place for renewal where the seasons and rites of passage are celebrated, which reflects our relationship with nature and the environment and which is dedicated to animal welfare. The Antwerp zoo as well as the Congress centre are the property of the ANTWERP ZOO FOUNDATION.
A Room with a Zoo: an ideal setting! The Congress, managed and organised by the Association of Association Executives (AAE), was held at Flanders Meeting & Convention Center Antwerp (FMCCA), “A Room with a Zoo”. The speakers sometimes came a long way, such as from Australia and South Africa.
egates that arts and crafts are in the region’s DNA. We wanted to inspire them to see the potential of the place as a destination for their own conferences.” The “Association of Association Executives” (AAE) is an active community of over 16,000 association, company and federation collaborators, and other member organisations in professional, commercial, scientific and medical sectors. The AAE manages the Association’s congresses, the Association’s leaders’ forums, the Association’s event strategy and conferences on members’ engagement.
The AAE’s Director General, Damian Hutt (see article attached to his remarks), said he was “very satisfied” with the results of the 2018 Congress, adding, “We had a large number of senior association executives this year.” Koen Kennis, deputy mayor of the city of Antwerp, said, “We are happy that the AAE chose Antwerp for its World Congress. Our city has all the potential to be the ideal setting for congresses and meetings, thanks to its excellent MICE infrastructure, the presence of a world-class port, a first-rate logistics, maintenance and chemical hub and a developing health centre.” Anja Stas, Chief Commercial Officer of the FMCCA (more information later), who opened the Congress, noted that the site was the only Congress centre in the world with a zoo on site. “This,” she said, “guarantees an immediate CSR solution through the conservation of animals.”
Transforming the audience into Flemish painters! During the Congress dinner, the International and European Association Awards were presented at the Grand Café Horta in the Art Nouveau room. Elke Dens, marketing director at VisitFlanders, added, “We took the opportunity to transform the audience into real Flemish masters at our thematic event. An introduction to our painters Rubens, Brueghel and Van Eyck showed del-
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The digital era and the “Garden of Life” Anja Stas, Chief Commercial Officer of the FMCCA, stressed that although we are in the middle of a digital age, individuals continue to travel thousands of kilometres to meet and to “be transformed” by connecting with one an-
“All the benefits of the FMCCA’s event spaces (as well as the zoo) go directly to the complete conservation program of this foundation, including: education and awareness campaigns for the 2 million annual visitors; award-winning
Anja Stas Flanders Meeting & Convention Center Antwerp Website: www.fmcca.com and revolutionary scientific research; international programs for breeding endangered species; in situ conservation programs with our own field research and staff. For example, in the rainforest of Brazil the protection of the habitat of the gold-headed lion tamarin. And the most famous is management of the OKAPI world stud-book – a timid and mystical giraffe of the Ituri Forest in Eastern Congo – and the work with field biologists and locals to protect the population threatened with extinction.” It is a partnership between meetings and the conservation and development of the “green aspect” that respects and honours nature. Science has demonstrated that nature is beneficial to the human brain, that it makes us healthier, happier and smarter.
other. “Direct meetings are being transformed into connecting, which is also building a link between professional life and the personal level. Ultimately, it is to revive this human nature that passes through all of us.” She insisted on the concept of “A Room with a Zoo”, emphasising that it is the only site in the world with a zoo. A zoo which constitutes a part of the collective memory of Belgium, a zoo that is experienced as a place of wonder and that has welcomed over 100 million visitors over time, a zoo that this year celebrates its 175th anniversary. The Antwerp zoo, the oldest scientific zoo in the world, is the “Zoo of Life”, the
It is not surprising then that the quality of meetings improves when nature is associated with them. It’s the credo of the Flanders Meeting and Convention Center of Antwerp.
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The Remote Delegate Challenge: delivering a high value, engaging experience online Thanks to the now easy availability of live streaming technology, organisations are faced with an incredible
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opportunity; the chance to totally reassess how they approach their events and open them up to an online audience.
ven though recording and streaming events has become so affordable in recent years, there’s still a huge amount of what can only be described as wilful waste. There is so much conference content of great potential value beyond the four walls and the duration of the event, that is not being captured. The challenge, it seems, is not the technology and process of streaming or recording, but that of understanding how to make the content available online, in a format that engages the audience. So, if you’re planning on venturing into online events,
I encourage you to really start from the ground-up; to revisit your event design and consider your remote audience from the outset. Go back to the basic question; what are you trying to achieve with your event? How will streaming support this objective? Consider how all the elements of your event fit together and how your online audience can interact. The objective should be to turn them from being merely viewers into active participants, thoroughly engaged throughout. Success depends on designing your entire event with both audiences in mind. Your remote audience
is going to have all sorts of other distractions, so it’s very easy to lose them. It’s very easy for them to just go off and do something else. So, you need to build in multiple ways that they can get involved, interact, be heard, participate. Here are 4 fundamental considerations in getting this right;
Martin Shepherdly
Run to time Let’s face it, it’s not uncommon for conference sessions to begin late. And, rightly or wrongly, the audience in the room generally accept it. They wait patiently, catch up on their email, they chat to the person next to them. They can see that nothing is happening onstage and if they are lucky an announcement may be made explaining the delay If you’re sitting at your computer having just logged in to watch online and nothing is happening on the screen, you cannot hear anything and there seems to be no sign of life, the chances are that after only a few minutes you are going to move on and do something else that is demanding your attention. I’ve seen this unfortunate situation on more than one occasion. Only a couple of years ago we were live streaming an event for a large membership organization from a conference centre in Manchester. It was only scheduled to last for 45 minutes. The chairman of the organization, was giving an opening address which was scheduled to start at 10:00. The mistake they made was that there was no mechanism in place for communicating any changes in schedule to the remote audience. A few minutes before the scheduled start time, we could see on the streaming server dashboard that there was
Martin Shepherdly founded BeThere Global in 2008, to provide an efficient, reliable and high-quality conference streaming and recording service at an affordable price. After many years of producing conferences, Martin knew this was something missing in the market. Since then the company has served many corporate clients as well as national and international associations; particularly those whose purpose is to educate and inform members on a global scale. Martin is co-author of “Remotely Engaging: How to reach new audiences by breaking out of the conference centre” http://bit.ly/remotelyengaging BeThereGlobal Website: www.bethereglobal.com a healthy number of viewers logged in to watch the live stream. The appointed time came and went, but nothing happened, as the main speaker had been delayed. A few minutes after 10:00 and the numbers started to fall away. By the time the chairman got on stage at around 10:20, only about 10% of the original audience remained!
Communication and interaction If you’re not going to be strict about timing, you need to at least have a robust method of communication, so you can let people know what’s going on. Now of course, the best communication is two-way. So ideally there is a facility for the remote audience to communicate back. At the most basic level this might be an email link or a text box on the viewing page where they can type a question. Or it might be a slightly more complex chat panel, that can also include social media posts and creates an online conversation. In some cases, remote delegates can participate
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through audio or video. Why not have a question from a remote audience member using their webcam, in the same way a delegate in the room can ask a question on a hand-held mic? Providing multiple communication methods – ways to interact – offers the remote audience the chance to participate to a similar level as the audience in the room. You don’t want just viewers, you want participants. You need them to get involved, to have a chance of making your online event the high value, engaging experience it deserves to be.
wish to keep them engaged throughout, so think about creating content primarily for the web audience. For example, conduct in depth interviews with speakers that have just been on stage. If you do this in a place of high footfall, such as in the exhibition or catering area, then the ‘physical’ delegates can also spectate.If you have an exhibition, think about involving your exhibitors in this innovation. It’s an ideal opportunity to create an online facet to your exhibition, adding value to your exhibitors and the potential to generate more revenue for you, whilst at the same time, filling those gaps for your online audience.
Look for the programming gaps A typical conference agenda has concentrated content sessions interspersed with periods of walking around and chatting, going to exhibitions, having lunch and sightseeing trips. By and large, the remote audience are excluded from these supplementary activities. Consider whether you should try and fill the gaps. Your objectives maybe best served by not attempting to; in which case bring the session to a definite conclusion for the remote audience and make sure they are aware when you will be “going live” again. On the other hand, you may
Don’t underestimate the value of ‘on-demand’ If your content has value beyond the day or two that your conference takes place, make it available on demand afterwards, so that people can go back and revisit it. If the people in the room can go home and review a session that they really enjoyed, or perhaps want to share with a colleague, or view sessions that they weren’t able to attend, this adds considerable value for them too. You should look on your conference content as precious assets that can deliver continuing value. But the best part of meeting The Remote Delegate Challenge and delivering a high value, engaging experience online is that it needn’t even impact your costs. In fact, it can be self-funding or even profitable! If your ‘physical’ event is profitable, there is no reason why your online event can’t be as well. Forget “hybrid” and “virtual” events; in my view those terms should be banned! What you have is simply an event. The question you need to answer as an event organizer is, how can we best use the technology and the tools that are available to us now, to make that event more effective for your audience, whether they be in the room, or whether they be online? Then you will have met the remote delegate challenge.
Waytation: an exhibitors’ partner with tailor-made solutions to maximize their Return on Investment Exhibition and Booth Analytics Waytation provides a specific feature for the exhibiting companies attending conferences, congresses and trade shows - the exhibitors’ analytics dashboard, available on its “Infinity” analytics platform. This dashboard has been
in the exhibition area, in the form of interactive reports. Best use cases have determined different attendees’ profiles going and gravitating around the equipped exhibitors’ booths: peak of visitors in the exhibition area, entry/re-entry rate can be used to improve exhibitors’ on-site presence, their interactions with the attendees at the right time etc. All in all, the postevent reporting is now easy and accurate.
Complaints & Questions
thought to shorten the time span for the exhibitors to know if their decision to invest time and money for participating in industry events was relevant or not, all based on precise figures and trends and not on gut-feeling. Thanks to it, exhibitors can access concrete performance metrics based on the attendees’ movements
If an exhibitor thinks to itself: “There was no Traffic in the Hall. I want a better location next year. We must cut our budget. How can I increase my ROI?” Based on the data provided by the exhibitors’ dashboard, if an exhibitor estimates that their return on investment has been not met, they can use the data collected throughout the event to see where the traffic has been the most prolific then contact the organizer to get a booth in this area of the exhibition hall at their next event. In the case of an exhibiting company that has attended the first event and goes to the
next: if this company has gone or going through spending cuts but their return of investment has been “high” to continue exhibiting, they can opt for the reverse reasoning explicated in the first example. They had access to the exhibitors’ dashboard during the first event and as they crunched down the key figures, they noticed that the traffic was less important in another area in the exhibition hall, they can then book a (smaller) booth in this area as the price would be less high than in the high-traffic areas. Waytation Website: www.waytation.com
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Packing Your Bags with Intelligence Telecommunication methods have not eliminated the need for real travel by company employees. High
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level meetings often require true face-to-face contact.
ith this in view, it’s a good idea, when preparing for your trip, to make sure you leave with everything you need to have at hand…
Avoiding lost time First, it must be acknowledged that the issue of “lost” time during air travel arises more and more frequently for businesspeople. The additional security measures have exacerbated the problem. Of course, before the departure date you will have already obtained the boarding pass from the internet, which you will keep as a QR-Code on your smartphone… or printed in the more traditional manner. There are then many strategies for saving your total travel time. One of them consists of avoiding putting bags in the hold, which means on arrival you can avoid going to the baggage carousel (which often doesn’t start for a long time after landing, for that matter). Of course, this is a solution that only applies to
exactly match what you want to do with it.
For the hold, the lightest tare weight! If you opt for checked luggage (the same applies about checking the weight), do not place any valuable equipment in it – computers and other electronic devices must be placed in your cabin luggage. However, in addition to personal effects, you can place power adapters and cables in it. Use the kiosks (in some airports) to tag your luggage yourself so you can drop them off without having to line up in front of the counters. Another tip: use suitcases that are as light as possible. Since total weight is limited, by doing this you will increase the allowable weight of your content since you will have minimized the tare weight.
Udoq Email: wagner@udoq.com Website: www.udoq.com very short stays (one or two days). Choosing the right luggage is very important. It must be light but very robust, provided with wheels and having many compartments, so that your belongings doesn’t get mixed up, and also have outer pockets where flight documents and small communication devices (tablet, laptop) can be easily placed for quick access. Avoid sets whose wheels are “external” (not integral) to the luggage, since they waste space because overall dimensions are limited. Of course, cabin luggage is also weight limited. You will need to use an electronic scale to make sure it is within the allowable range. Cell phones, tablets and other notebooks will have to be prepared for a stay in a hostile environment, so be sure they are protected by robust cases, while at the same time make sure they can be extracted quickly so there will be no need to rummage when the time comes. There is a huge choice of jackets and cases, so it’s definitely worth researching products which
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And these days, by choosing carefully, lightness no longer has to mean fragility! You can also equip this large checked luggage with a coded (or keyed) security strap. Of course, remember to label it with your mobile number, as well as your address.
Essentials to remember Since the big problem with smartphones is their battery life, and you are going to use your devices considerably, it may be advisable to add a power pack in your hand luggage, which will let you recharge your tablet, notebook or cellphone. This will let you spend the day without having to worry. Although nearly everything is now hosted in the cloud with Dropbox type applications, for the sake of security carry with you a few USB memory sticks or a portable high-speed and ultra-light hard drive (“SSD”). For one thing,
dbramante1928 Email: jm@dbramante1928.com Website: www.dbramante1928.com you may not have internet access available all the time (even via a mobile hotspot) and connection speeds are not guaranteed, and finally you can never be too careful. You can always use these bulk memories to store some films that you will enjoy during the long hours of air travel, which you can delete afterwards. Make sure not to forget essential connections – for example, some manufacturers only provide a single “USB-C” port (Apple, for example) and they therefore need an adapter to connect with a standard USB. If you are leaving for the United States you will also need a power adapter and also, while you are at it, some power multiplugs, since there will be some people who will upset the evening while recharging at night! If you bring a camera (either compact or reflex), check that you have installed a memory chip with enough capacity to cover your whole stay. And also think about what will be needed to recharge its batteries! If it is a reflex, use a lightweight zoom that will allow you to deal with all situations, from wide-angle to telephoto (18200 type).
Digital signage, a great asset for business, conventions and trade shows! Digital signage is a great success in all consumer sales and promotion applications.
B
ut it also excels in all professional situations – in companies, in hotels, at conventions, events and conferences, it works wonders.
Unparalleled responsiveness In all these situations, it is first and foremost used to inform. It informs staff, visitors, participants, and at several levels. Its great advantage is responsiveness. As soon as a decision has been made, as soon as any change is decided, everyone can immediately be made aware. In companies, and in relation to staff, digital signage is an extremely effective communication tool. It will display, as soon as the doors open, the events marking the day (for example, important visits or orders on the point of delivery), and it will broadcast the company’s key messages and let management show videos on screens set up, for example, in the cafeteria. It is ideal for a business leader who can easily keep employees up to date on the business market and specific priorities to be given to one or another line of products. In addition, digital signage can play the role of company ambassador during the day, this time
with visitors (why not a brief clip presenting the business?). Other screens, smaller but tactile, will be arranged with the signage allowing visitors to find their way interactively.
Improving customer experience In hotels, digital signage welcomes customers in the hall and displays, wherever they are placed, the various services available (includ-
the time comes, emphasize potential promotions. Conventions, events and conferences will be thrilled – for organizers, no more long and dangerous chore of printing the daily signage directing participants to the right room (where mistakes always creep in!) – everything will be displayed on the big screens. Last minute changes – always very possible – will be instantaneously updated on the displays. Here again, any initiative that takes place during or around a conference will get the widest audience, even if it is a last-minute decision. The screens will also be able to promote events and establishments outside the organization, providing information on possibilities and improving delegates’ experience. Some hotels are even able to monetize these local “ads” and generate additional revenue. In trade fairs and shows, and other external events, digital signage will play the primary role of attracting attention with its large “moving” images.
ing restaurant menus, room services available, laundry services offered, etc.). In a few seconds it provides a good mental image of what the establishment offers. In addition, a variety of information can be broadcast on the events of the day and, when
The human eye is immediately attracted by luminous movement, as it is in our nature. It is the perfect opportunity to present the company to the outside world through small, dynamic clips. Here, the best advice to be given is to avoid wanting to say “everything” – as with haute cuisine, you have to know how to distill the flavors, and create the desire to want more!
Toshiba Business Display Solutions Email: b2bdisplaysmarketing@toshiba.co.uk Website: www.toshiba.eu/businessdisplays
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Content is king… but what content? You may detest the adage that it’s the content that matters (“content is king”)… But do you know why specialists use it so often?
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they will need to be interspersed with pleasant information that attracts attention.
Be careful not to trip up
What do you want to do?
imply because it’s the pure truth. And it’s just as true with digital signage – people are not interested in what type of multimedia reader you use, they look at the information you are broadcasting.
But the adage contains many requirements and it is very easy indeed to “stumble” on the content. There are some related questions as well. Do you keep the same content for weeks or even whole months? Do you display long sentences? Is the hold time enough so that people can read it without the screen changing? Do you respect your brand’s graphical charter? And also, where is your digital signage system located? At a point of sale, at a transit point or, again, at a place where people are waiting? The answer here should help you determine the amount of information in your content as well as its rhythm.
The type of audience is also important, because everyone doesn’t react in the same way to a given content. Of course, age is an important factor. It is clear that (in a store) if Wednesday is a day for discounts for those over 60, messages should not be broadcast on the use of social media, because only 18% of people aged 50 to 64 access social media on their mobile phones! The goal pursued obviously plays an important role for your content. Thus, you can aim to educate, inform, entertain, call for some action, promote or sell. Educating… The content can include product demos, testimonials and tables of practical comparisons with other products. This “education” will take different forms depending on whether it is directed internally within the company (to your employees) or externally (customers and prospects).
For example, at a transit point people are moving quickly and you have very little time (estimated at two seconds!) to display your message, which must be concise and very short. At a point of sale, there is not such a rush, but it must be remembered that your audience is there for a specific purpose. Emphasis must be placed on the possibility of obtaining a product that is available immediately and close by (in a neighbouring aisle, for example). Try to determine the average time spent by customers near your digital signage, which will help you decide the tempo to switch to a different message. If it is a “waiting point”, customers queue or linger and are craving something to distract them. This is an ideal situation, because it is possible to include longer messages, but
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Informative content is factual and answers simple questions. It must give priority to clear communication. The aesthetics are also important, but ultimately secondary. Care must be taken to have a simple presentation and to ensure that the data can be taken in quickly, “at a glance”. Entertain or amuse. This flows naturally, so it’s important for it to relax – the audience will
quickly have enough of incessant advertising. Call to action (for example, to register in a loyalty or reward programme) goes through several key steps (see further down). Promotion does not necessarily seek to sell, but to go further than mere information. It draws attention to something that people are not spontaneously aware of. When it comes to the sale, it requires no comments other than the following…
And now… action! For the call to action and sale, it must first be understood that if the audience does not understand what to do… it will not do anything! So it’s necessary to ensure that the different steps to be followed are clearly displayed on the screen. The task must be made as easy as possible. Use the great advantage of digital signage, which is the instantaneous interaction it allows, and ask people, for example, to connect their phones to a smart tag or send a specific keyword by SMS or even to watch an interactive presentation to receive a promotional code (like “send the keyword to a certain number and receive a 20% discount on any item”). It is important not to require too many steps. If people have to take four or five actions there is a good chance they will give up. If you use a QR code (excellent initiative!), make sure it is big enough to be scanned. You have to be brief - the fewer words the better. Use simple vocabulary that corresponds to that of a 12-year-old child. You can also “create urgency” because limited-time offers are the most convincing (like “the first 50 customers will receive a bonus”).